What's the story on all the empty city blocks in College Park?

[emcee squared]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

I figured this picture was appropriate. This is a aerial view of Atlanta's old terminal, before the built the new (current) one further south and west. It was built pretty close to over those homes to the left.

Atlanta Airport - 1969 aerial photo

Wow. I know where I wouldn't have wanted to live.

EDIT: That whole site is fascinating.

[bryantm3]

it's not airport expansion. over there on the west side of college park, the homes were basically old slave shacks— old and poorly built for the segregated black community there. they tore down all of those homes years ago, probably because it was a breeding ground for poverty and crime. there is still an old barber shop standing over there.

[Saintmarks]

That 1969 picture is prior to the relocation of I-85 several blocks west. That took a chunk of CP as well.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

That 1969 picture is prior to the relocation of I-85 several blocks west. That took a chunk of CP as well.

Good catch. I actually had a tough time looking at that earlier. I think most of the shift occurred further south (almost off the edge of the pictures, but starts barely in it)

What I find interesting about the picture (and for anyone who wants to see where the told terminal -use to be-.

The original exit-entrance ramps to I-85 to the airport and the exit for Central Ave and Sylvan Rd are still there, so you can use them as references between the old picture and google maps. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Atlan...gl=us&t=h&z=15

Another reference is you can see a bank of trees in the cemetery in google maps and the old image.

I also found out you can see the imprint of the original foundation of the concourses in some of the pavement if you look closely for it.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

Good catch. I actually had a tough time looking at that earlier. I think most of the shift occurred further south (almost off the edge of the pictures, but starts barely in it)

What I find interesting about the picture (and for anyone who wants to see where the told terminal -use to be-.

The original exit-entrance ramps to I-85 to the airport and the exit for Central Ave and Sylvan Rd are still there, so you can use them as references between the old picture and google maps. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Atlan...gl=us&t=h&z=15

Another reference is you can see a bank of trees in the cemetery in google maps and the old image.

I also found out you can see the imprint of the original foundation of the concourses in some of the pavement if you look closely for it.

It was just south of Virginia that the current part of 85 veered west of the old route. Look at that map and the Airport Loop Road just south of Virginia follows the original lie of the old 85 to just north of the current terminal. You can make out a straight line from there (for the most part) to the leg of 85 just south of Riverdale Road and see how the original 85 was pretty much a straight diagonal line from Virginia to 285. So the curve to more due north at Riverdale Road on up to Virginia Avenue is the stretch that got rebuilt.

This stretch got rebuilt during the mid to late 70s. I was a teen then and very interested in road building and the upcoming airport expansion.

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by emcee squared

As other have said, probably a combination of FAA rules/airport expansion.

If you use Google Earth, the historical imagery goes back to around 1993. More houses and a few apartment blocks were in the area, but a majority of the buildings were demolished before then.

Or go to NETR Online • Historic Aerials and go back as far as 1955 for the airport area (some areas of the city back to 1938). It also has a cool "compare" feature, where you can run a slider back and forth between an old and new image. I've gotten stuck for HOURS on this site.

But at the airport, you can see massive housing expansion from 1955-1960 or so, then it all gets torn down by 1968.

[emcee squared]

Originally Posted by samiwas1

Or go to NETR Online • Historic Aerials and go back as far as 1955 for the airport area (some areas of the city back to 1938). It also has a cool "compare" feature, where you can run a slider back and forth between an old and new image. I've gotten stuck for HOURS on this site.

But at the airport, you can see massive housing expansion from 1955-1960 or so, then it all gets torn down by 1968.

Awesome, thanks!

[ehoez]

wow